Selma do Coco

Origin

Vitória de Santo Antão, PE

Genres

coco, música popular brasileira, forró

Instruments

vocals, percussion

Biography

Selma Ferreira da Silva, known artistically as Selma do Coco, was born in Vitória de Santo Antão, Pernambuco, in 1935, and became one of the greatest exponents of traditional northeastern music. Since her childhood in the Zona da Mata region of Pernambuco, she had deep contact with coco de roda at the June festivals she attended with her family. Moving young to the metropolitan region of Recife and later to Olinda, she sold tapioca and sang to attract tourists, transforming her solitary work song into lively coco circles in her backyard.

Selma's national and international consecration happened late in the 1990s, when she was discovered by musicians of the Manguebeat movement, such as Chico Science. Starting with performances at important festivals like Abril Pro Rock and the success of songs like "A Rolinha", she gained visibility and recorded her acclaimed first album, Minha História, in 1998, which earned her the Sharp Award. Her trajectory was marked by international tours that passed through European countries and the United States, taking the rhythmic richness of Pernambuco's coco to stages of great global prestige.

Recognized as a Living Heritage of Pernambuco, Selma do Coco built a striking discography that celebrated the cultural roots of her state, featuring independent works and creative partnerships with her son Zezinho. She passed away in 2015, leaving an indelible legacy in Brazilian popular culture and inspiring new generations of artists committed to the preservation of northeastern musical traditions.